Bengals Game - My First Pro Game

Monday - August 31, 2009

Last Thursday - August 27 - I saw my first professional football game. WOW - Paul Brown Stadium was unbelievable! Our seats were unbelievable!! Hopefully the pictures I've chosen (out of the 100 plus I took) will show you what my first experience was like.

Growing up with three brothers who loved sports and then marrying a man who could give the stats from the 1970's Reds teams without blinking an eye had a small impact on my liking sports!!! Truthfully, the Reds are my baseball team; I always liked the Bengals and the Browns; and I always loved Marshall football - win or lose!!!!!!!! With all we did on our "mini" vacation, I really liked going to the Bengal's game - even though they lost to the Rams 24-21! The experience of seeing it in person was really impressive. Hope you enjoy the pictures I've chosen!!!

Paul Brown stadium looking from the steps we had to climb from the parking lot!

True Bengals' fans enjoying their own festivities - tail-gating!!!!

You've got to love the true fan and their vehicles!

We entered from the East side, but had to travel to the West side to get to our seats !

Once inside, we found FOOD!!! Bill all decked out with a Bengals hat and shirt!!

I like my hat better:):) It matches the shirt I'm wearing :):):)

A view from our seats without zooming in on the field. It was unbelievable how well we could keep up with the movement of the ball!!!

Here are a couple of shots showing each end of the field!

It appears that the "Ben-gals" are a big hit at the ballgames!!! Hmmmm, Bill like them!!!!! :):)

Outfits like the stripe of a Bengal!!!

The eyes of the Bengal released fire when the team and coaches came onto the field!!!

. . . but there wasn't enough fire for them to win!!! :(:(

The boys in action . . .

The men with black and white stripes discussing why the flags were thrown - decision - there was NO reason for any flag to have been thrown!!! ooops!!!!

Some more action shots . . . .

Now, the question is - would I go again??? Yes, but I'm not sure about going when the weather is 30 or below! :):):):)

Chicago

Friday – August 28, 2009 (Part 2)

Chicago was formed as a group when at DePaul University. They were all music students playing a series of late night gigs at different clubs on and off campus. In the beginning they were called “The Big Thing”. They moved to LA and became known as the “Chicago Transit Authority” in June, 1968. It was after 1969 that they became simply known as Chicago!
There are four founding members still involved with the group today. They include the keyboard and vocalist – Robert Lamm; trombonist, James Pankow; trumpet – Lee Loughanne; and saxophonist – Walter Parazaides.

In the beginning they were considered an unusual versatile line up of musicians. They included a full horn section, traditional rock instrumentalists, guitars, key board, drummer, and bass guitar! It was a sound the 60’s weren’t use to together in one group. It didn’t take long for their sound to catch on and become a favorite of the young!!!

As with all the concerts we have attended, it is interesting to see the wide range in the age of the people in attendance!! You have a large number of those in their twenty’s side by side with those who are in the 50 – 60 year old age range!!!! Some of those older folks still have the groove and were definitely keeping up with the beat of the music. Hmmm – were Bill and I keeping time with them – let’s just say we were there and we did sway a little!!!

The drum section for Chicago!!!!

. . . And here they come on stage!!!!

The key board player - Robert Lamm - was a vocalist and one of the original members! (He's in his 60's)

Theses guys were energetic and ohh sooo good!!!

The keyboard player couldn't stand still either!!!

The saxophonist is also an original member!

Trying to get a shot with all eight members was just as hard as with EWF!!!!!!

The trombone player - an original member - was my favorite - he played the trombone, keyboards and sang - whew - how did they do this for well over an hour?????

Two members of EWF came out and joined in on this number - now that was some music playing!!! Awesome!!!!!

At least two of these guys are in their 60's - now they could really "boogie!" :):)

One final shot of the group - Chicago!!!!! It was Great!!!!!!!

Setlist:

Questions 67 & 68

Just You N Me

Dialogue 1 & 2

Colour My World

Call on Me

Alive Again

I Don't Want to Live Without You

Look Away

You're Not Alone

Hard Habit to Break

Beginnings

Make Me Smile

Saturday in the Park

Feelin' Stronger Every Day

Hard to Say I'm Sorry

Get Away

Does Anybody Know What Time It Is?

25 or 6 to 4

Again, as with Earth, Wind, and Fire - I knew some of the songs -I think I actually knew more of the Chicago songs - again thanks to my brother John! :):) He would have loved this concert!!!!

We had a great time and hope we can continue going to concerts and enjoying them as we have thus far. We have done a lot of walking - which has been good!!!

Hope you enjoy reading and looking at the pictures we've posted. More pictures of our other outings will come later!!!!

Earth, Wind, and Fire

Friday - August 28, 2009

Wednesday we were able to see Earth, Wind, and Fire in concert (along with Chicago). I've already posted pictures of both groups being on stage and have opted to do a separate posting for the individual groups which will show pictures and give you a list of the songs we heard - not necessarily in the order they are listed!

For those who may not know, this is an African American R & B band which formed in Chicago in 1969. In the beginning, they were known as EWF the Elements, or the Elements of the Universe. After a year together, the original group broke up going their separate ways. Two of the originals got together with another group of great musicians and the group Earth, Wind, and Fire was reestablished!

Maurice White, who is a vocalist and plays the drums, percussion, and Kalimba, along with Verdine White, who plays the bass guitar, were two from the original group in this second formation. These two gentlemen along with Philip Bailey – vocalist, plays the percussion, Conga, and Kalimba – and Ralph Johnson – plays the drums, percussion, and is a vocalist – have been playing together for 40 years. Their age appeared to deceive us in the audience as the energy they displayed was that of most twenty year olds!!!

This group has been known for its dynamic sound especially due to the horn section. Their performance was dynamic, energetic, and electrifying – almost too much so for a couple of retired folks!!! We both enjoyed their performance tremendously and would like to share picture of Earth, Wind and Fire with you, our readers! Enjoy!

One of the thing we noticed first was the fire on the drums - foreshadowing for what was to come - playing the drums until they catch on fire - and they almost did! :)

Our first look at Earth, Wind, and Fire performing by themselves!!!

Notice the images on the lights above the stage - they changed throughout the performance depicting different elements of the universe!

The three on the top part of the stage have been together for 40 years - they were bringing the house down! Bill loved Verdine White's outfits - he's on the left playing the bass!!! WILD

I know this is blurry, but I wanted to show what they did with the lighting throughout the entire show - it was unbelievable!! The image of flames was projected on the screen in the back!!!

I tried to get shots with all ten members on stage - they moved around way too much for me to capture that!! They were never still for more than a minute - good way to loose weight! :):)

They didn't just stand on stage and play or sing to themselves - they played and interacted with the audience!

They were really singing out!!!!! They did this the whole time!!!

I think I got them all in this shot!!!

This was their finale!!! hey had the whole place rocking!!

Set list:

Boogie Wonderland

Sing a Song

Shining Stars

Sun Goddess

Serpentine Fire

Kalimba Story

Evila

Brazilian Rhythm

I'll Write a Song for You

After the Love is Gone

Reasons

In the Stone

Got to Get You Into My Life

September

Wishing You Were Here

Fantasy

Groove

The Way of the World

Devotion

You couldn't prove it by me that these were the songs played:):) I did recognize some of them, but I had already turned to "country" by the time this group became popular!!! I remember John listening to them and driving me crazy! :):) Bill loved them when he was younger - so we are trying to catch some of these performances of some of the groups from our youth!!! I am really getting to like these groups now - they still may not be at the top of my list, but if Bill likes them and wants to go - so shall I.

Chicago and Earth, Wind, Fire Concert - Energetic

Wednesday - August 26, 2009

When on our way back to the motel after the concert, we were trying to come up with an adjective that would describe the concert. One word - that's all we wanted!!!! Wow, wonderful, loud, great, all seemed a little tame!!! Then we came up with energetic, which lead us to the word electrifying!! Electrifying was exactly what we had experienced. Both groups we fantastic. While we overheard the opinions of many as we were leaving, we realized they were trying to decide which group had performed the best!!! Hmmm - why decide that when both did a superb job with the type of music for which they are noted and famous for playing!

Both groups appeared on stage in the beginning, then each had a section where they performed by themselves. They ended the show with all of them returning to the stage. I had pictures that I wanted to post - way too many - and then i decided to post the ones in which both groups are on stage together!!! I will do an individual posting for each group later with pictures of just that group!!! So, the following picture will show Chicago and Earth, Wind, and Fire performing on stage together!!!!

Hope you enjoy!

One of the marquees displaying who will be performing at Riverbend on Aug. 26.

The groups are noted for the use of their horn and percussion instruments!!

Five of these gentlemen are members of their respective groups. The vocalist (red shirt) and the bass player were there in the beginning with Earth, Wind, and Fire; the guitar player, the trombone player, and the man behind him were with the Chicago group from the beginning!


When playing "I Just Wanna' Be Free " the American Flag was lowered!

All 18 members of both groups were on stage - ope I got them all in one shot!! They kept moving around!!!

Another shot of both groups!

The bass guitarist could not stand still! He was always moving and strumming!!!!

Introduction at the end of the show - each group congratulating each other!!!!

Another shot of both groups!

Their final song was completed for the night!